The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation has removed the names of 10 soldiers and one police officer charged with the kidnapping in Taraba State alongside kidnapping kingpin, Bala Hamisu, also known as Wadume.
The soldiers’ names were removed in the amended charges brought by state counsel in the Office of the AGF, Shuaibu Labaran, on Monday.
They are: Captain Tijjani Balarabe, Staff Sgt. David Isaiah, Sgt. Ibrahim Mohammed, Corporal Bartholomew Obanye, Private Mohammed Nura, Lance Corporal Okorozie Gideon, Corporal Markus Michael, L/Corporal Nvenaweimoeimi Akpagra, Staff Sgt. Abdullahi Adamu, and Private Ebele Emmanuel.
Following the approval of the amendment by the judge, Justice Binta Nyako, the amended 13 counts were read to the remaining seven defendants, who pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Wadume was alleged to have been involved in kidnapping activities in Taraba State.
He escaped arrest on August 6, 2019, but was rearrested in Kano on August 19, 2019.
Wadume had narrated how soldiers set him free and killed the anti-crime police officers who were conveying him from Ibi to Jalingo on August 6, 2019.
Justice Binta Nyako adjourned the case to June 22 for hearing.
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